Curried Pumpkin Bisque

A recipe from Executive Chef Jeremy Langlois of Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. More on Houmas House.

Yield: 12 servings 

Ingredients

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup minced garlic
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup Steen’s cane syrup
• 1/4 cup curry powder
• 2 quarts crawfish stock or shellfish stock
• 1, 14-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels
• 1 pound peeled Louisiana crawfish tails
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper, to taste 

Method

1. In a large heavy soup pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the cane syrup, curry powder, stock, corn, and crawfish. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
3. Add the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.